Rousseau Hounds

[liontracker]

In Percival Rosseau's own words he had "run hounds from childhood".

There is this pic of his hounds on a lion and I am currently try to figure out how to upload a pic he painted of his hounds on bear.

There is no doubt that Percival Rosseau is the correct name and that he indeed did run hounds. By the looks of the pics, they were French hounds, Porcelain, Gascon Saintongeois and maybe even crosses of the two as evedenced by the new pic I found of the bear hunt, which I hope I am able to post.

How Farber and/or Traverse were able to do this research without a computer, I would sure like to know...

Meanwhile, maybe someone else can figure out how to post this Bear hunt w/hounds pic, here's the link: http://books.google.com/books?id=D_wEAA ... CBgQ6AEwBw#

Scroll to second page.

[liontracker]

In the above link, the pic of the bear hunt w/hounds can't be copied and pasted. There is mention of other hound paintings in addition to the cougar and the bear. It would be nice to see them as well. Recently Rosseau's dog paintings have brought as much as $210,000 ea.

From the documented records, Rosseau must have gathered up his hounds between Kentucky and Texas, between the years of 1869 and 1880. He was 21 yrs old when the cougar hunt took place. The Porcelains and Gascon Saintongeois in his pictures must not have been too hard to come by at that time. Why did he choose those breeds? Maybe childhood memories, maybe based on their performance and abilities, probably both. As far as how many existed on the Rosseau plantations before the civil war, that piece of the puzzle is still missing. Did he give his pack away when he left for France? I believe he did, and all of them. Was the actual number 65? It very well could have been. He ran large packs as depicted in his paintings, 30-40 hounds at a time, therefor his kennel very well could have contained 65 hounds. He was beginning a new chapter in his life and the study of art would leave very little time to run hounds. I'll bet he was surprised to find out upon his arrival in France, that the French revolution had caused the Porcelain breed to become extinct.

[lmorgan]

Thanks for the new information, Tim. The difference in spelling and the location of the plantation in Mississippi instead of Louisiana could be the key to unraveling the mystery of Mr. Rosseau. I'm completely unfamiliar with this spelling, which would also make it a different pronunciation as well. If you do some more research into the Mississippi connection, keep us posted. It is intriguing and the paintings are nice. I wish I could see them both in color. I've enjoyed this conversation, but it's funny how different people can look at the same thing and come up with completely different interpretations. You look at the paintings and you see French hounds of a particular breed and the wheels in your mind start turning in a particular direction. I see the same paintings and my first thought is that the hounds in the paintings look like Walkers or another combination of American scent hounds (Trigs, Julys, etc.) What we call around here typical deer dogs.

It's not to say that either of us are right are wrong. We just have different perspectives.

[Mike Leonard]

KInda of not tunes into this Larry I was out since midnight last night and hounds are still pretty much what I do, and I can see I looked attt he ass end of all colors but they never said a word.

But I went by our campsite today nestled high on that rim where only a short walk will take you past odd colored rocks that are not of the regular landscape. Oh no these are street signs of the ancients. A little further as the hounds quest noses popping for scent and thru the screen of brush you see the beautiful narrow canyon. Off on the painted walls you see drawing painting of sort from ancient artist types expressing the trends of the day. A little further and bright reddish rocks are turned up with near century old scrolling on them and as you ride thru the gambels oaks curtain there lies the main canyon. As you look across ypu see the cliff dwelling tucked in under the cougar colred rockes. Square with box windows. Stones neatly stacked and you can almost imagine the small brown figures darting here and there carrying on life as it was on the mesa hundreds of year ago.

Much more interesting than wondering if our lion hounds came from France because ain't nobody gonna no fo sho!

Better make a show in the woods or it is just another hobby.

[liontracker]

I see the same paintings and my first thought is that the hounds in the paintings look like Walkers or another combination of American scent hounds (Trigs, Julys, etc.) What we call around here typical deer dogs

Yeh, I know. I have a copy of the book coming and when I can see the paintings in color I will have a better idea. I will say that I have never seen a Walker, July or Trigg with ears and head like that.

Much more interesting than wondering if our lion hounds came from France because ain't nobody gonna no fo sho!

Better make a show in the woods or it is just another hobby.

The day is rapdily approaching when we all will know for sure. Besides if not from France, then where else did they come from?

Also, when a 7 month old GS pup can run and trail a bare ground track that veteran hounds can not even smell....well now that is just the begining of "the show in the woods".

You naysayers ought to hold your negativity until you see the whole "show". I believe you will be pleasantly surprised...

[Mike Leonard]

Tim,

Hope you don't think I was naysaying I wasn't and that is the proof needed.

Now tell us more about the dry ground lion track, the vetrans hounds being compared and then about the 7 month old GS that showed them the way. These are the specifics that will bare the proof of their superiority to common hounds.

[Brady Davis]

Tim,

Hope you don't think I was naysaying I wasn't and that is the proof needed.

Now tell us more about the dry ground lion track, the vetrans hounds being compared and then about the 7 month old GS that showed them the way. These are the specifics that will bare the proof of their superiority to common hounds.

My 7 month old pups ran a cat in dirt for hours...See my post in Old fashioned blues forum "Brady Davis' GGS'"

[lmorgan]

Yeh, I know. I have a copy of the book coming and when I can see the paintings in color I will have a better idea. I will say that I have never seen a Walker, July or Trigg with ears and head like that.

You naysayers ought to hold your negativity until you see the whole "show". I believe you will be pleasantly surprised...

If I'm a naysayer, I certainly wasn't trying to be. I'm a deep swamp coon hunter, so I have no horse in this race when it comes to dry ground lion hunting. As for the heads, ears, etc., that just kind of ads to my point of us looking at the same painting and getting too different interpretations. Sort of like two Christians can read the same bible and come back with a completely different interpretation. That doesn't mean they aren't both Christians, it just means they see things slightly different. I see those hounds and to ME they do look like hounds I would have expected to see here in the 19th century. I've got old Full Cry clippings from Lee Newhart and some of the foundation Majestics that look very similar to those hounds. That doesn't make them European.

However, I do believe we agree on one thing... I believe that most, if not all, American tree hounds can readily and easily trace their heritage back to France or England. There were no hounds (unless you want to count the Louisiana Catahoula, which I don't), waiting in Jamestown or Plymouth when the first Europeans arrived. All hounds had to be imported at some time from somewhere. I guess the big question is when and where.

[liontracker]

Now tell us more about the dry ground lion track, the vetrans hounds being compared and then about the 7 month old GS that showed them the way. These are the specifics that will bare the proof of their superiority to common hounds.

I will post the answer under Liontracker's GS's. Thanks.

[Josh Kunde]

So just out of curiousity, why did you decide to start breeding the GSS over the porcelaine? Just from messing around on the net I've seen a couple referances to them still hunting these crazy looking white dogs. Also if they were extinct after the french revelution, what different breeds were used to construct the newer dogs that they have today... I usually don't post much anymore, but this is kind of making me curiouse like I said. It doesn't help that I'm at work and have nothing to do.. Ha gotta love these smart phones.

[pegleg]

smartphones will be the down fall of hunters everywhere!!! or so i was informed

[liontracker]

For me personally, the Porcelain is too small, many strains have reproductive issues and I don't think they would handle to cold and snow very well.

[Josh Kunde]

Well that's understandable. Now considering that they are both from the same country and same climate, why don't you think they would be able to handle the cold as well? Especially considering that yours are from africa.

[liontracker]

They just don't seem as rugged or hardy.
Mine aren't from Africa...but African is.
His are the first to be imported to Africa though.

[Josh Kunde]

I apologize. I was under the assumption that you had gotten yours from some of his litters, or something of that sort. either way I would like to see specimens from both breeds in person to really compare. They have to be farely closely related at this point.